Can I uninstall 32 bit versions of games?

[The Boy]

My son installed a few games over the years that seem to have a 32 bit version as well as the 64 bit version (we are running a 64 bit version of Windows 7). I'm trying to free up some hard drive space and wanted to know if it's safe to remove the 32 bit versions. It's games like Spore and Universe Sandbox. I didn't want to ruin his games if the 64 bit version needs the 32 bit version for some reason.

[Snapjak]

Not really useful because the vast majority will simply be a different .exe file.

You'd be saving maybe a few megabytes for each game, depending on how it is programmed.


Just as an example. RAGE has a 32-bit exe and a 64-bit. The 32 is 20 megabytes and the 64 is 40 megabytes. So a savings of 20MB. Not much.

[Brujeira]

Messaggio originale di Snapjak:

Not really useful because the vast majority will simply be a different .exe file.

You'd be saving maybe a few megabytes for each game, depending on how it is programmed.

This, plus any files you remove will just be downloaded again if the game gets patched or updated/verified for any other reason.

[The Boy]

Messaggio originale di Snapjak:

Not really useful because the vast majority will simply be a different .exe file.

You'd be saving maybe a few megabytes for each game, depending on how it is programmed.


Just as an example. RAGE has a 32-bit exe and a 64-bit. The 32 is 20 megabytes and the 64 is 40 megabytes. So a savings of 20MB. Not much.

If it were less than 100mb, I agree, not worth it. But for those two games alone, it would free up over 6GB

[Snapjak]

Unless there are separate entries in your library for 32 and 64-bit version, they are not that big.

In fact, I don't think Spore even has 64-bit support.

[The Boy]

Messaggio originale di Snapjak:

Unless there are separate entries in your library for 32 and 64-bit version, they are not that big.

In fact, I don't think Spore even has 64-bit support.

My Revo Uninstaller shows two entries for each program, each entry with the same size: Spore at 3.9 GB each, Universe Sandbox at 2.36 GB apiece.

[Snapjak]

That sounds like a problem with Revo.

[The Boy]

Messaggio originale di Snapjak:

That sounds like a problem with Revo.

Windows uninstaller shows the same thing...two entries for three of his games.

[Brujeira]

Messaggio originale di Shmi The Tea Lizard:

Messaggio originale di Snapjak:

Unless there are separate entries in your library for 32 and 64-bit version, they are not that big.

In fact, I don't think Spore even has 64-bit support.

My Revo Uninstaller shows two entries for each program, each entry with the same size: Spore at 3.9 GB each, Universe Sandbox at 2.36 GB apiece.

That sounds highly suspect - and Snapjack is indeed correct, Spore doesn't have a 64-bit version.

https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Spore#Other_information

I'd take everything that any third-party utility says with a very large pinch of salt. Uninstalling either of those entries will probably remove everything for the game - you might want to look elsewhere to free up that space.

Edit: Actually, I'm not sure I'd trust Windows on that front either...

[Snapjak]

If Windows is reporting two of each, it's a fairly old bug. You don't actually have two copies installed, Windows is just mistaking something.

[wuddih]

those uninstall tools use the size of the directory. both are pointing to the same directory.

as mentioned in the first reply. most games that have support for multiple architectures do not have a seperate installation and only differ by a few files, if not just only the executable for it, the rest are shared files.

[The Boy]

Messaggio originale di Snapjak:

If Windows is reporting two of each, it's a fairly old bug. You don't actually have two copies installed, Windows is just mistaking something.

That's what I wanted to make sure of before I uninstalled one entry and possibly scrambled the game or lost all his saved data. The fact that the versions take up the same space makes me suspect what you suggest.